


Teamwork is Magic

by Torrilin



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Body Horror, Body Image, Book Abuse, Episode Related, Gen, Scooby centric, Script Format, rapey episode premise, seasonal_spuffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 20:22:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7068709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Torrilin/pseuds/Torrilin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>S4, Where The Wild Things Are, with a twist or two AU during the episode.</p>
<p>Buffy and Riley are trapped in Lowell House. So it's time for a Scoobies rescue mission...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Teamwork is Magic

**Author's Note:**

> Canon typical violence and gore, Buffy and Riley romance, script format. The episode plot can be seen as rape or non-con, please use your best judgment for yourself. Body horror and body image issues show up too.
> 
> Written for the May 2016 round of Seasonal Spuffy.

EXT. LOWELL HOUSE  
Xander, Willow, Tara, Spike and Anya stagger out of the house, together. A few terrified stragglers turn off in several directions. The FRONT DOOR slams behind them.

WILLOW  
Wait! We have to go back!

ANYA  
Why?

XANDER  
Because Buffy and Riley are trapped.

ANYA  
So? She's the slayer, he's a big soldier boy. What do they need you for?

XANDER  
Look around, Anya. There's ghosts and shaking and people going all Felicity with their hair… We're fresh out of super-people and somebody's got to go back in there. Now who's with me?

SPIKE  
I am.

SPIKE grinds out his cigarette and steps boldly forward.

SPIKE (cont'd)  
I know I'm not first choice for heroics - and Buffy's tried to kill me more than once - and I don't fancy a single one of you all - but: I like not getting burnt in my sleep, and Joyce knows where I sleep.

\-- he lines up for a roundhouse to the door --

SPIKE  
Besides, more smashing.

\-- BOOM -- Spike flies back about 10 feet, THROWN by an INVISIBLE FORCE.

ANYA  
Xander, let's get out of here.

XANDER   
It could be Watcher-Time.

\-- Spike gets up, dusts himself off and --

SPIKE  
Yeh, it's Watcher time. That hurt.

\-- he heads off towards town, Xander right with him --

XANDER  
We're agreeing on something. This CAN'T be good.

EXT. A STREET CORNER  
Spike heads for Giles' apartment, Xander yoinks him back.

XANDER  
No, he said he'd be at the Espresso Pump. Some grown up thing.

SPIKE  
He left his flat? Voluntarily? Not for Buffy?

TARA  
He told us not to bother him.

WILLOW  
He may have wanted some grown up time, but this is for Buffy. His book club can deal.

INT. ESPRESSO PUMP  
In the Espresso Pump, Giles doing his God of Acoustic Rock thing

***

XANDER  
Um, could we go back to the haunted house? Cause this is creeping me out.

SPIKE  
Why? It's not the worst cover I've heard here.

TARA  
Does he do this often?

XANDER  
Only when the earth rotates backwards and the sky is orange.

*simultaneously*

SPIKE  
Yeah, he must, you don't sound like that without practice.

\-- Xander and Spike glare at each other as Giles finishes his set and comes up to them. --

GILES  
I told you not to bother me here.

WILLOW  
It's Buffy!

SPIKE  
That frat house tried to eat me!

ANYA  
I told you we should leave it alone!

XANDER  
And where does that leave Buffy?

GILES  
I need to pack my things. Can you please wait to argue until later?

\-- He pinches the bridge of his nose and massages it. --

TARA  
Yes. I'll herd them outside.

GILES  
THANK you.

\-- He turns to fetch his guitar.--

***

INT. GILES' APARTMENT  
Willow has her laptop at the table. Giles is putting away his guitar upstairs. The rest of the group is plopped on couches and chairs, intermittently arguing.

XANDER  
Well if it's ghosts, can't we just ghost bust them? It worked last time.

ANYA  
That's not a good idea. A lot of ghosts are vengeful, and vengeance is powerful.

SPIKE  
Yeah and I want some! No one tries to eat the Big Bad and gets away with it.

\-- Giles comes back downstairs --

GILES  
Research would be more useful than speculation and bickering.

\-- He shoos everyone towards the bookshelves. --

GILES  
Anya, what languages do you read? Besides English.

ANYA  
A lot. Do you want Earthly languages, demonic ones, ones I'm bad at or ones where I'm fluent?

\-- Spike looks uncomfortable and sidles closer to a bookshelf. He examines it studiously --

GILES  
Let's make this easier. I have at least five books on ghosts in Latin and Greek, can anyone besides me read them?

ANYA  
Yes, but they're both pretty rusty.

TARA  
I might be able to manage the Latin.

SPIKE attempts to become one with the bookshelf and whispers  
I can read both.

GILES  
And I know Xander and Willow can't read either.

\-- He pulls books off shelves and rapidly hands them off to designated pack mules --

GILES  
Anya, try this one. Tara, this one is in Latin. Spike, take this one.

\-- He walks over to the table and sets down some more books --

GILES  
Dictionaries and the leftover book. Willow, how are you coming with online research?

\-- He takes a spot at the table --

WILLOW  
It wasn't always a frat house. It was an orphanage, but it closed down in the 1980s.

ANYA  
Were there any deaths?

WILLOW  
Not that I've found yet. The property tax records are confusing, and I can't work out whether the University owns it now or the frat does. And I'm not sure which national organization the frat is affiliated with. It's all murky. The best I found was this newspaper article last year about the anniversary of the closing.

ANYA  
That's weird, orphanages tend to have lots of deaths.

WILLOW  
Yeah, but it's hard to link death certificates to an institution if it's not a hospital. C'mere.

\-- she gestures for Anya to come sit by her --

WILLOW (con't)  
See, this is Dr. Gregory's death certificate. Since I was on campus at the high school when they found his body, I know he died there. But --

ANYA  
It's not on the death certificate. It's all about how he died. I see. So you're looking for deaths elsewhere.

WILLOW  
Yes. Then I can find the death certificates if they were examined by the county coroner's office. And most deaths in La Purisma County do get examined by the coroner.

SPIKE  
What about the unrecorded deaths?

WILLOW  
There are a lot less than you'd think. I mean, our animal attack stat is through the roof, but most vamps take a few days to rise, so their deaths get recorded. The first one anyway. Giles, do you keep stats on the graves Buffy clears?

GILES  
Not in detail. And you're all off track. We're concerned with ghosts, not vampires.

***

INT. GILES APARTMENT  
Later. The table is a mess. There's two donut boxes, Spike and Tara are both scribbling away in notebooks, Willow is glaring from book to laptop and back. Giles makes tea in the kitchen and Anya is redoing the cold compress on her injured hand.

Xander bursts in through the FRONT DOOR

XANDER  
Anya, here are your photocopies. You're in luck, the library was open late.

ANYA  
Good, the Greek in this book is hard to read printed so tiny.

SPIKE  
Some of us are working anyway.

ANYA  
And you have both hands to work with and vampiric vision. I'm only human now. And the stupid plant got my right hand or I'd be translating like you and Tara are.

SPIKE  
I'll share some of my blood if it'll help.

XANDER  
Eew, a big no to that!

ANYA bops him with her free hand.

ANYA  
Xander, that was very rude. Most vampires wouldn't share blood at all. Spike, that's very kind, but human now.

\-- she beams at him --

TARA  
Penates... Spike, Anya, do either of your books have bits about gods of specific places? Like a house or a particular family farm?

GILES  
Daimones perhaps?

TARA looks confused. SPIKE grins and taps his notes.

SPIKE  
That's why I grabbed the pen. Wanted a better translation than I could do off a straight reading. This has lots about how to tell daimones from keres from theoi from angelos and lots about how to talk properly to them. Not a bit about ghosts I don't think.

ANYA  
Mine doesn't seem to have ghosts either. Lots of prayers or spells, I'm not sure which. And it's never a good idea to pray a spell or try to cast a prayer by accident. On purpose maybe. But accident? No way.

TARA  
Yeah, there's this long section in here about invoking the genii, lares and penates. I can't tell if it's a prayer or a spell. But the angry parts sorta fit what happened.

ANYA  
The hungry plants?

TARA  
Some maybe. Mostly what got my attention was a section on how to work out if it's slaves breaking your cooking pots or the penates.

XANDER  
Is there anything about really... Happy... Walls in there?

GILES  
Happy? In what way?

XANDER  
Y'know, happy. Blissful.

ANYA  
Oh, the orgasm wall.

\-- Giles looks like he's swallowed a live cockroach rather than freshly made tea --

GILES  
Orgasm wall?

XANDER  
For a God of Acoustic Rock, you're kind of naïve.

SPIKE  
Or just pretending that young'uns haven't invented sex. Helps avoid the impure thoughts or so I'm told. Not sure why he bothers with you lot around tho.

\--Spike leers halfheartedly and goes back to scribbling --

TARA  
ANYWAY. The broken pots bit reminded me of the exploding bottle. And I want someone to double check me on the directions. A lot of the words are short and have weird endings. Or maybe they're abbreviations?

\-- She shoves a couple sheets of paper towards the center of the table and Giles grabs them --

***

INT. GILES' APARTMENT  
Later. Giles has organized a clean up. Willow is typing up someone's notes with Tara next to her. Xander is putting away books. No more pastry boxes and plates, but the mugs are breeding. Spike is sprawled in a chair massaging his hand, Anya is laying on the floor reading another set of notes.

ANYA  
I'm fairly sure these rituals shouldn't go with Tara's divination. The ancient Greeks had some pretty weird ceremonies and I can't work out if this one is a ceremony or a frieze design or maybe a weaving discussion.

GILES  
Should Willow type it up?

ANYA  
I think so.

*simultaneously*

SPIKE  
I'm not translating it again if you lose my notes. Hand still hurts. Need to punch something.

XANDER  
If you want to go punch Lowell House again, be my guest.

GILES  
I'm sure that won't be necessary. Anya, can you assemble an ingredients list for the divination?

ANYA  
Already done I think. I'd like an extra check besides Tara. And I want to make sure we have substitution options planned since we're not in ancient Rome and I'm way younger than this spell.

SPIKE  
Gimme the notes. Can't hurt if Xander and I know what you're trying.

GILES  
Where's the ingredients list?

WILLOW  
Still typing Spike.

\-- Spike wanders over and perches so he can read over Willow's shoulder as she types --

XANDER  
I have the list I think.

\-- he fumbles with a pile of paper. Giles takes the paper Xander hands him, tries to read it and makes a face. --

GILES  
Xander, I can barely read this. How many times have we had the discussion about bad handwriting and apocalypses?

XANDER  
I know, but I was hurrying!

ANYA  
Please don't. It's like sex, if you rush you miss all the good bits.

XANDER  
Anya, I can't imagine there being good bits in an apocalypse. Also, I can't imagine YOU advocating standing around enjoying it.

SPIKE  
Always good to enjoy your work.

GILES  
Not a point of view I expected from either of you, but not wrong.  
I think we have the wine, honey, and bread on hand. And it looks like all the herbs are ones I keep for cooking.

SPIKE  
What about the olive oil?

GILES  
I have that.

SPIKE  
Seemed a bit exotic to me.

GILES  
Erm, yes, well... I can cook.

TARA  
Should we just do the spell here?

SPIKE  
Probably less interruptions than at the house. And I think I"m clear on what the signs for going in are.

GILES  
And it's not quite midnight yet, so timing shouldn't be an issue.

\-- XANDER roots through GILES' weapons chest and pulls out two axes in sheathes, then heads for the door --

XANDER  
Then vampire and construction guy to the rescue. OH GOD THAT SOUNDS WRONG!

\-- Willow looks up from her furious typing --

WILLOW  
Shoo, we can't set up the ritual circle and have you guys break it.

\-- SPIKE and XANDER exit, axes at the ready --

INT. GILES' APARTMENT  
\-- GILES, TARA and ANYA rearrange furniture and clear space for the ritual. The sofa is shoved out of the way, chairs get tucked in corners, the rug gets rolled up and the floor swept. Candles get set up to mark the ritual space. WILLOW finishes typing. --

WILLOW  
Giles, can I use your printer so we all have a clean copy of the ritual?

GILES  
Please do, it's still the guest room.

EXT. LOWELL HOUSE  
XANDER and SPIKE are in the front yard. When they left, the house looked like a house. Now, it's a night blooming jasmine covered mess. No visible windows or doors, plants everywhere. The porches look more like caves that might eat you than a nice place to chat. And the jasmine is blooming, so the scent is overpowering.

XANDER  
I get the feeling we shouldn't get closer.

SPIKE  
Yeah, we could say that.

\-- he gestures at one of the trees in the yard. --

SPIKE  
Here, some concealment from the street.

INT. GILES' APARTMENT  
The room is dark and lit by candles, 8 to mark the outer circle, 4 to mark the inner one. TARA, GILES, and ANYA are chanting with their eyes closed. WILLOW has her eyes open and is staring at the ghostly forms surrounding the circle, rather panicked. She stays on time with the chant, but grows steadily more shrill sounding. She is clearly freaked out. Her panicked chanting cues the others to open their eyes. TARA brings her hands up over her head like a conductor, then lets them drift down slowly in a cue for decrescendo to silence. ANYA begins the questioning part of the ritual.

EXT. LOWELL HOUSE  
SPIKE and XANDER have plopped down under their tree and are busily arguing.

XANDER  
C'mon, you can't tell me you don't like Mace Windu.

SPIKE  
True, and if I did I'd be lying. And evil. So no, I don't like Mace Windu. And is it just me or do things look a lot less planty than before we started arguing about pod racing?

XANDER  
I can see a window I think.

SPIKE  
Break the door down now or wait?

\-- XANDER heaves himself up. --

XANDER   
I think wait, mostly because I'm the one who will end up sharpening the axes after. And I grabbed battle axes, so the blades won't do well against wood.

SPIKE  
Was thinking of going and smashing that glass door in.

\-- he bounces in place --

XANDER  
Be my guest.

\-- They head up the sidewalk and Spike lines up a reversed axe blow at the door. XANDER stands a good 10m back and to the side. 

SPIKE goes flying again, but there's a crash of glass and wood as the door breaks outward under the axe blow. --

XANDER  
This is a lot more fun when you go flying.

\-- SPIKE has vamped out and is sitting up growling at the door. --

XANDER  
Any time you want to go in, I'll be right here cheering for you.

\-- SPIKE glares at XANDER, growls some more and breaks off wincing. --

SPIKE  
OW! Bugger, I wasn't anywhere near you and it shocked me.

XANDER  
Yeah, biting isn't sexy. Or gentle.

SPIKE  
Says the human.

INT. GILES' APARTMENT  
ANYA  
Ok, so we haven't figured out a way for them to talk, but they are angry and wanting vengeance.

\-- she ducks as one of the circle of children throws a book at her head --

TARA  
So we just keep dodging?

GILES  
I believe it's our best shot.

WILLOW  
Are you worried about another Egyhon thing?

GILES  
YES!

\-- he dodges another book --

GILES  
Particularly since this ritual is so old and not designed for ritual possession.

WILLOW  
So breaking the inner circle won't do it?

ANYA  
Don't do that!

TARA  
If one was in there talking to us, maybe.

ANYA  
But they're not talking, and they aren't willing to try yes and no questions.

\--TARA dodges a book --

GILES  
So we keep them busy as long as we can.

EXT. LOWELL HOUSE  
SPIKE  
Your turn. Three's my limit

\-- XANDER walks up to the door, examines the edges, and tries to step through. Spike lays on the grass, carefully checking that all his body parts work. --

XANDER  
Lots less planty in here now. C'mon in.

\-- he turns around slowly in the front hall, getting oriented and looking for hazards. --

SPIKE  
If it looks like they're getting uppity, you get first crack.

XANDER  
Will do.

\-- They climb the stairs to Riley's room, XANDER chopping any jasmine tendrils that get within axe reach. As the vines get thicker, SPIKE joins in. At the top of the stairs, a stiff wind blasts them, setting SPIKE's coat flapping and making XANDER grab the railing. SPIKE pushes him forward a few steps, and gets in a swing or two at jasmine branches as he does so.--

SPIKE  
This the right door?

XANDER  
Yeah, I think so.

\-- XANDER opens the door. There's no floor, no walls, no furniture, just a great black emptiness. --

XANDER  
I don't know what I was expecting.

\-- SPIKE peers up over XANDER's shoulder --

SPIKE  
Huh.

\-- SPIKE kicks a jasmine branch into the void. It falls for a long while before it vanishes into the blackness. --

XANDER  
Well, there's not much we can do with this.

\-- XANDER turns to shut Riley's door --

BUFFY  
SPIKE?! XANDER? KNOCK NEXT TIME!

RILEY  
Privacy, look into it. Closed door means privacy!

SPIKE  
The house got a little possessed. You can stay if you want.

XANDER  
But I wouldn't recommend it. When we opened the door you weren't in here.

\-- SPIKE eyes the growing vegetation, and aims an axe blow at a jasmine branch heading for him and XANDER. --

SPIKE  
And I'm not sticking around for getting eaten.

\-- SPIKE vaults over the balcony railing and lands near the front door. --

XANDER  
Yeah, it looks like it's starting again, get out NOW!

\-- he runs for the stairs as the jasmine starts to spread. BUFFY and RILEY follow, trailing sheets and blankets. What can be seen of their bodies is pale and skeletal. They look deathly ill, and neither one is moving quickly. They both look furious. --

EXT. LOWELL HOUSE  
BUFFY  
I don't care. I'm going back to my room for clothes.

\-- she turns and stalks off. --

XANDER  
Really Buffy, I would have knocked if I thought it would work!

SPIKE  
I'll just push off then. I don't think she'll believe anything I back you up on mate.

\-- XANDER trails after BUFFY. SPIKE takes a few steps in one direction, curses softly, and heads in a different direction. --

\-- RILEY stands there, torn. He turns to go back inside, but the house is totally covered in vines. He tears off running through the side yard. --

EXT. STEVENSON HALL  
\-- XANDER still trails after BUFFY, doing his best to look anywhere but at her. She stalks up to the front door and rattles it. --

BUFFY  
Um. Keys. I don't have mine.

XANDER  
We can try calling Giles. Willow should still be there. C'mon.

\-- he grabs the door and holds it for a group of students with keys. Then he drags BUFFY into the lobby and over to the desk phone. BUFFY picks up the phone and dials a number from memory. --

GILES (O.S.)  
Hello?

BUFFY  
Giles, it's me. Xander got me out. Is Willow there?

GILES (O.S.)  
Erm, yes. One moment.

\-- quiet noises as Giles puts the phone down and gets Willow. Xander drifts over to a couch and sits down so he's not hovering over the phone call.--

WILLOW (O.S.)  
Buffy! Are you all right?

BUFFY  
Um, maybe? I feel really weird and I don't have my keys and I just want to sleep.

WILLOW  
I'll be there in a few minutes.

INT. STEVENSON HALL LOBBY  
\-- XANDER and BUFFY are sitting on the couch together, with BUFFY using XANDER as a pillow. WILLOW rushes in and is shocked. In a well lit room, BUFFY is visibly gaunt. She looks like she has lost at least 10 pounds since the morning.--

WILLOW  
Buffy, have you eaten lately?

\-- She grabs Buffy's free hand and helps her up, then drags her over to the vending machines. --

BUFFY  
No, my wallet's with my keys. And my student ID.

WILLOW  
Oh boy. I'll get you the cookies you like.

\-- She swipes her ID and bangs buttons on the vending machine a few times in quick succession. The machine twists out a bag of cookies, some peanut butter crackers and a couple candy bars. --

WILLOW  
Now let's get you home.

\-- The trio heads down a hallway towards Buffy and Willow's dorm room. --

INT. STEVENSON HALL, BUFFY'S ROOM  
XANDER (O.S., through the door)  
I'll wait out here while you get dressed Buffy.

\-- WILLOW fishes through Buffy's dresser. Buffy droops on the bed, still wrapped in a sheet, holding the crackers in her lap. --

WILLOW  
Here, comfy sweats. Unless you want PJ's?

BUFFY  
I'm not sure. I feel weird.

WILLOW  
Well, I'm sure you'll feel better with clothes on. I'll be in the hall with Xander.

BUFFY  
OK.

\-- WILLOW steps out of the room. BUFFY gets up and looks at the sweats WILLOW picked out. She half puts the pants on under her sheet. She stops and walks over to the dresser, pants and sheet dragging. She paws through a couple drawers and pulls out a pair of socks. She plops down onto the floor and puts on a sock, starts to finish putting on the sweatpants, and then gets up to paw through the drawer some more. She comes out with a sports bra and gets it on. She hobbles back over to the bed and pulls on her sweat shirt when WILLOW pokes her head back in the door. --

WILLOW  
Buffy, do you need help?

BUFFY  
Yeah, I'm spacey. Can I have a hug?

WILLOW  
Yup!

\-- WILLOW hugs BUFFY around the sheet, looks at the chaos and goes to grab a pair of panties from the dresser. WILLOW hands Buffy the undies, and continues to help her get dressed.--

WILLOW  
This should help. Sit down and I'll get your other sock.

INT. BUFFY AND WILLOW'S DORM ROOM  
XANDER, BUFFY and WILLOW are using WILLOW's bed as a couch, kind of puppy piled together with sodas and more junk food.

XANDER  
So Spike made me try the door. Here, have some of these Buff.

\-- He hands her some of his chips. --

XANDER  
And I didn't go flying. It was very cool. I dodged almost all the possible house attacks. Until you yelled at me.

BUFFY  
Sorry about that. It was pretty startling. It felt so peaceful and quiet before.

WILLOW  
I guess that would be nice. But those plants weren't very peaceful, and I could have done without the book dodging.

XANDER  
Book dodging? You mean research?

WILLOW  
No, I meant literally. Here, look at this bruise!

\-- She pulls her arm out of her sleeve and gestures --

WILLOW  
It should be getting purple already. I hope.

\-- BUFFY and XANDER both look at her shoulder and upper arm, and BUFFY pokes at it gently --

BUFFY  
Yeah, there's one on your shoulder coming out real purple. Looks like it's all muscle damage and surface-y.

XANDER  
I guess things got exciting after Spike and I left?

WILLOW  
Yeah, those spirits or pennants were not happy. Many books were thrown. At all of us. Anya seemed pretty out of it after one hit her on the head. Giles wants her to stay with someone tonight, not go back to her place alone.

XANDER  
Buffy, food. Goes in the Buffster.

WILLOW  
Yeah, you can sleep after you finish that one. We can do the health center thing tomorrow.

\-- BUFFY nods and keeps chewing a big mouthful of cookies, then gulps it down with soda. --

BUFFY  
Yes, mom.

EXT. UC SUNNYDALE GROUNDS  
\-- We see RILEY, unconscious, still wrapped in a blanket, curled up near a garage or utility building entrance, part hidden under a bush. Or maybe it's part of the Art department. It's a little hard to tell. GRAHAM and FORREST come out of the building and take a few minutes to find RILEY. They're clearly looking for someone. --

FORREST (speaking into a walkie talkie)  
Graham found him ma'am.

\--GRAHAM checks RILEY'S pulse. --

GRAHAM  
He's got a pulse. But he looks like hell.

FORREST  
Yes, ma'am. He's alive but unconscious. It looks like we need a backboard if we're going to move him.

INT. INITIATIVE LOBBY  
\-- DR WALSH addresses a cluster of men in camo fatigues, including GRAHAM and FORREST. --

DR WALSH  
We're transferring Riley to Sunnydale Memorial. Dr Smith has called an ambulance over to transfer him. Bunk everyone down here for tonight. We can figure out the paperwork with the University and NIH tomorrow.

GRAHAM  
Yes ma'am. Will we be able to visit Ri tomorrow?

DR WALSH  
I'm not an MD. We'll see what the hospital says after everyone has some SLEEP. If the rehydration IVs work and he's conscious tomorrow, probably yes.

\-- She gestures for them to get moving. --

THE END


End file.
